Top 10 Things to do in Melbourne

In a city the size of Melbourne you’re never short of things to see and do, but if you’re only there for a quick visit you want to make sure you see the best the city has to offer. Here are the Choice Hotels’ top 10 things to do in Melbourne. We hope you agree!

1. Breakfast in Degraves Street

Cobbled laneways and great food is what Melbourne is all about, so starting your day with breakfast in Degraves Street is the perfect way to get the true feel of Melbourne. Degraves Street is a café-lined laneway with a central row of tables for alfresco dining Melbourne style.

2. City Circle Tram

Melbourne is famous for its trams and catching a ride on the free City Circle tram is an ideal way of getting around. The tram passes most of Melbourne’s most popular attractions and runs in both directions every 12 minutes from 10 am to 6pm Sunday to Wednesday and between 10am and 9pm Thursday to Saturday.

3. A Night at the Theatre

Theatre is alive and well in Melbourne so it shouldn’t be hard to find a show to suit your tastes and budget. Many new musicals and plays make their Australian debut in Melbourne which is often considered the arts capital of Australia. Melbourne has an amazing collection of theatres from heritage theatres like the Princes Theatre to the state of the art Melbourne Arts Centre.

4. Shop ‘til You Drop

Arguably the most fashion forward city in Australia, Melbourne is full of stunning boutiques and unique shops. Check out Emporium Melbourne, Melbourne Central, Galleria Shopping Plaza, Bourke Street and of course Collins Street if you fancy a bit of designer shopping.

5. Crown Casino

The Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex is a world-class collection of shops, restaurants, gaming and entertainment. Have a flutter in the casino, peruse the boutiques or catch a movie in one of the Gold Class Cinemas.

6. Eureka Skydeck 88

Almost 300 metres above ground level, the Skydeck on the Eureka Tower boasts 360° views of the Melbourne cityscape and surrounds, stretching as far as the Dandenongs during the day. At night see the city lights and spectacular Melbourne skyline. ‘The Edge’ glass cube projects 3 metres out from the building, the only one of its kind in the world, offering a unique bird’s eye view of the city below and is one of the most unusual things to do in Melbourne.

7. Queen Victoria Markets

This market has it all! The largest open air market in Australia – if you can’t find what you’re looking for here it probably doesn’t exist. There are a series of halls with various things for sale ranging from fresh produce, fish and meat to handmade artifacts, clothes, souvenirs and tacky trinkets. Set aside at least a few hours to explore the markets in their entirety.

8. Visit the Docklands

Once a bustling harbour port, the Docklands became virtually abandoned in the 1960’s when huge containers for transporting goods replaced bales and crates, and the old port was not equipped to handle them. The Victorian government came up with a plan to utilise the vast areas of space and the Docklands is now a thriving community with world class sporting facilities, shopping, high density housing, entertainment complexes and much more. At its completion in 2020 the area will cover a larger area than the CBD and house over 20,000 people.

9. Luna Park

An iconic Melbourne attraction, Luna Park is fun for all the family. There is a great range of rides catering to thrill seeking teenagers right through to grandma and grandpa. The Scenic Railway at Luna Park is the world’s oldest continually operating roller coaster in the world.

10. Werribee Open Range Zoo

If you’re looking for things to do in Melbourne with the family then you can’t go past Werribee Open Range Zoo. You can see a wide range of animals in carefully constructed enclosures resembling their natural environment as much as possible. Highlights of a day at Werribee Zoo include a safari tour on a bus through the grassland enclosure viewing zebra, giraffes, rhinos, hippos and more all living together. The Serval Cat presentation is another highlight unique to the zoo and offers an insight into the life of these fascinating big cats.

We also have an extensive range of Melbourne hotels in a variety of locations around the CBD and surrounds to choose from. Click here to check out great accommodation options in Melbourne.